The Empire of Aaerith
Aaerith is a continent located west of Westeros. It is separated from the continent of Westeros by a large body known as the Sunset Sea. The Empire of Aaerith is larger then the continent of Westeros, the "accurate" size 8,570,200 square miles Almost the entire continent is ruled by a single political entity known as the Five Peaks, who sits on the Throne in the city of King's Bay. Geography Aaerith is bordered to the west by the Mermic Sea, to the south by the Kaidic Sea and to the east by the Sunset Sea. The continent is about 900 miles wide at its widest point and extending for almost 2,000 miles from the Kaidic Sea to the top of the continent. The continent's terrain varies immensely. There are significant mountain ranges, such as the Mammoth Peak's in the North Peak, the Blackstone Peak's of White Wild's and Mazill Summit. Climate varies between extremes of heat and cold across the large continent. The North is the only region in which snowfall is common, even in the middle of the years-long "summers". In the far south the terrain becomes hotter and more arid, and White Wilds contains the continent's only deserts. Notable offshore islands includes the Islands of Ummala and the Destar Archipelago. The continent is also home to immense woodlands. There are three major forested regions: the Deep Mire of the East Peak, the Kingstand North of King's Bay and Oar's rest in the west of Turtle Lake. Numerous smaller wooded areas dot the continent. Climate Aaerith's climate shifts from a subarctic wasteland in the furthest north to a desert climate in the furthest south, along the fields of White Wilds. In the normal course of events, the furthest north still has light snowfalls even in the longest summers while the south almost never sees snow, even in the most severe winters. Westeros and Aaerith both experience seasons of varying length, usually lasting at least a couple of years each. The length of the seasons is completely unpredictable and varies randomly. In the North, the winters are extremely cruel. Lords set aside non-perishable food items for storage against the next winter, while many of the North's most notable strongholds are built in favorable areas. Some castles, like Edmonton, have elaborate greenhouses which permit the growing of vegetables even in the harshest winters. Despite these precautions, famine and starvation is common during Northern winters. History Regions The Five Nation's are divided into five administrative regions, all of which were independent kingdoms before the Night of the Blood. Each region is ruled by a Great House, who in turn are commanded by the King on the Throne. These regions are: The North Peak: Ruled by House Collmond from the castle of Freyfrost. Bastards of noble birth born in the North take the surname "Frost". The North is the largest of the regions of Aaerith but also the most sparsely-populated, due the harshness of the long winter. The Southlands: Ruled by House Armant from the castle of Iredale. Bastards of noble birth born in The Southlands take the surname "Mire". It ranks moderately among the other regions in terms of population and wealth. The Southlands experience significant rainfall. The Southlands are also one of the most densely wooded areas in Aaerith, particularly the southest point, Deep Mire. The Wildlands: Ruled by House Suldon from the castle of Blackstone. Bastards of noble birth born in the Wildlands take the surname "Dust. The Wildlands are noted for being the nation with the most valuable resources, having mountains which are rich in silver and gold and the White Wilds being the only place where the super rare herb Aitmoo grows. Riverrule: Ruled by House Gale from the castle of A'mlon. Bastards of noble birth born in the Riverrule take the surname "Root". The Maggrow Fields: Ruled directly by the King on the Throne from the city of King's Bay in the Golden Keep, the largest city in Aaerith and the capital of the Five Nation's. Bastards of noble birth born in the Maggrow Fields take the surname "Field". Other notable townships of the Maggrow Fields include Valrhim and Litchfield. The Maggrow Fields stretch out the shores of Yotunn's Bay. The Maggrow Fields were never a kingdom prior to the Night of the Blood, control of the region having fluctuated between various neighboring nations throughout history. Population The population of Aaerith extends into many millions, though a precise count has never been attempted. The major cities of the continent have populations in the hundreds of thousands, and each of the Great Houses can field a reasonably-well-equipped army in the tens of thousands. Due to its desert climate, The Wildlands has the smallest overall population. Meanwhile, the prosperous and fertile Riverrule is the most heavily-populated, followed closely by the Maggrov Field's. Aaerith is overwhelmingly populated by humans, to the point that non-human sapient races are considered mythical. Nonetheless, the existence of such races are believed by many of the uneducated smallfolk. There are several notable human ethnic groups currently extant in Aaerith: Dolos The majority of the population of Aaerith are descended from the Dolos who invaded the continent some nine thousand years ago. The Dolos consider themselves more civilized and cultured than the other peoples of Aeerith. Yunten The Yunten are descendens of giants that moved further south of Mommoth Peak, they are much stronger then the average Aaerithien's and are naturally taller. Giants Giants are a non-human race considered to be a legend by the inhabitants of the Five Nations. However, giants do actually exist in the furthest north beyond Mammoth Peak, and have some interactions with the residence of the North Peak. Settlements Aaerith is home to several distinct types of settlement: Cities Aaerith has a primarily agrarian population, with few major cities relative to its size. The four major cities of the continent are, in descending order of population: * King's Bay: the capital of the Five Nations with a population of nearly one million. The largest city of Aaerith, founded by Ron the Landbringer on the site where he first set foot on the continent. Originally ruled by House Servain, then by House Gale. * Eastbourne: the largest city in the North. Ruled by House Godfree, bannermen's of House Collmond. * Blackstone: the largest city on Aaerith's west coast Ruled by House Suldon. *A'mlon: the main city and port of Riverrule, with a population in the tens of thousands. Ruled by House Gale. Castles Castles are held by the noble houses of Aaerith and range in size from the vast, city-sized edifices of Freyfrost or Blackstone to small towerhouses or fortified farmsteads run by landed knights. The size of a castle and in what state of repair it is kept reflects the wealth and power of its ruling family. The most notable castles of Aaerith include Freyfrost, Valrhim, Rockdale and the Golden Keep of King's Bay. Category:Empire's Category:Country Category:Countries Category:Aaerith